Initial Ruling: Eight Years in Prison for Eight Defendants in the “Black Room” Case
Earlier this week, on the night of Thursday, May 29, 2025, the Criminal Court of Ariana delivered its verdict in the so-called “Black Room” case at the Ministry of Interior.
Judgment Details and Judicial Proceedings
The court sentenced eight individuals involved in this case to serve eight years in prison. Among those convicted were former security officials, and the court ordered immediate detention for three of the accused who are currently at large, as confirmed by a judicial source to the Tunis Afrique Presse news agency.
The First Deputy Prosecutor and spokesperson for the court, Yassine Ben Marzouk, explained during an interview with the same agency that the judiciary accused the defendants of several serious charges including “embezzlement, lifting, destruction, alteration of evidence, or criminal procedure documents, and other items stored in public repositories or entrusted to state officials.”
The verdict involved eight defendants in total: Attal El Amrani, Boubaker Al-Abeidi, Mohamed El-Faraji, Qais Bsseifi, Sami Waz, Mustapha Khadhir (fugitive), Abdelaziz Dghisni (fugitive), and Rida El Barouni (fugitive). Among them are former high-ranking security officials, including a former director of the Counter-Terrorism Unit and a former director of specialized services.
Investigation and Discovery of Hidden Evidence
The initial investigating judge of the Ariana Court took over the case following the seizure of a substantial number of documents, which were reportedly hidden in a sealed office within the Ministry of Interior. This investigation was prompted by the discovery of this trove of evidence, which played a significant role in the ongoing inquiry.
Connections to Political Figures and Alleged Espionage
The defense team representing the families of martyrs Shukri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi presented a series of documents they claim relate to a person named Mustapha Khadhir. Theyasserted that Khadhir has links to the Ennahda movement and is involved in activities of an espionage nature.
Furthermore, it has been revealed that some of these documents, which were found in December 2013 in Khadhir’s home—who was later sentenced to eight years in prison—are currently stored in what has been described as a “black room” within the Ministry of Interior. The defense called for the opening of this “black room” and access to its contents, alleging that it contains information directly linked to the assassinations of Belaid and Brahmi.
Call for Transparency and Disclosure of Sensitive Documents
The opposition and civil rights advocates emphasize the importance of transparency regarding the materials kept within the “black room.” They demand that the Ministry of Interior release the documents stored there, which they believe could shed light on the circumstances surrounding the political assassinations. They also urge the authorities to lift the organizational protections surrounding this “special organization,” which they argue is implicated in the plots leading to the murders.
This case remains a significant point of focus in Tunisia’s ongoing efforts to shed light on past political violence, deepen accountability, and address allegations of cover-ups involving high-level officials and intelligence agencies. The judiciary’s rulings mark an important step forward, but calls for further investigations and transparency continue as public interest remains high.
